Most colleges have fraternity and sorority houses on campus. Collectively,
these groups are called the “Greek system,” because each house is
named after two or three letters of the Greek alphabet. There are
social Greek organizations, as well as those dedicated to a particular
profession, such as medicine, law, engineering, or journalism.

A lot of what you’ve heard about fraternities and sororities
is true. There are plenty of “Animal House” antics going on. But
frats and sororities aren’t just about all-night keggers and random
hook-ups. Greek organizations do a lot of community service: they
raise money for charities, volunteer in soup kitchens and for other
community organizations, and organize food drives on campus. These
events are great résumé builders, and employers see participation
in Greek organizations as a plus. Among other things, it means that
you have some measure of discipline and that you managed to maintain
decent grades in college despite your extracurricular commitments.

Reasons to Go Greek

Lower dropout rate than non-Greek students

Instant community, which is crucial during your first
year

Leadership opportunities, which will serve you well later
in life

Community service that will add credits to your résumé

Support structure, which helps students when they are going
through hard times

Tutoring and academic support

Parties, parties, parties!

Intramural sports

Nice houses with great cooks

Networking opportunities after graduation

Of course, there are also reasons not to join a Greek
organization. There are dues and fees, which can put quite a dent
in your pocketbook. You also may not be the “frat type,” and prefer
to go it alone. Believe us, you’ll be able to find friends even
if you don’t join a house. While it can be tough to be an independent
on a campus that’s mostly Greek, don’t feel obligated to join.

Important Greek-Life Terms

Fraternity, or Frat: Greek organization for men

Sorority: Greek organization for women

Rush: The recruitment period at the beginning of the semester,
when you are asked to join the organization

Bid: An invitation to join a frat or sorority

Pledge: A new recruit. You’re not yet a full member of
the organization, but you’re one step closer to being accepted.

Hazing: Initiation rituals designed to create discomfort, pain,
or embarrassment. Technically, hazing is illegal, but it is often
done anyway.

Initiation: The formal ceremony inducting pledges into
a frat or sorority

Chapter: The larger organization under which certain frats and
sororities exist

Intramural: Sporting events between Greek organizations organized
by the university

Panhellenic Council: The governing body for sororities

Greek Parties

Yes, the parties are all they’re cracked up to be. Some
of them are legendary. But they can also be dangerous. Campuses
that have had trouble with Greek parties in the past have put restrictions
on the types of parties they can have, often banning alcohol from
the houses, or making parties BYOB (bring your own beer/booze).
Alcohol-related deaths, injuries, and sexual assaults are not uncommon
at these parties, so it’s no wonder why universities are concerned.

Parties are fun, no doubt. But getting so drunk that you vomit
in public or are taken advantage of by someone isn’t the kind of
experience you should be looking for. Your only protection against
the potential perils of frat parties is to stay sober.

Things To Know About Frat Parties

If you’re female: just smile and walk on in.

If you’re male: check to make sure the party is open to outsiders.
If not, it doesn’t hurt to begin by making friends with the house
members.

Don’t get drunk. Your boundaries will be blurred and you might
do something you’ll regret (or something that will earn you a black
eye).

Bring something. If your hands are full of drinks or snacks, you’re
more likely to be welcomed.

Have fun at the party. Make yourself a valued part of
the event.

Always have a plan of escape, unless you’re ready to go fisticuffs
with a whole houseful of drunk frat guys.

People who hang out at the frat houses all the time without joining
are called frat rats. Don’t go to a lot of their parties or spend
the night in the house unless you plan on joining or dating one
of the members.

If you don’t want to drink too much, or you’re not sure
how you handle alcohol, don’t play drinking games. There are dozens
of games geared toward getting drunk that often lead to complete
incapacitation of the participants.

Your First Year
Believe it or not, your academic success at college will greatly enhance your social life.